


The 5 Types of Love and the 1 that Works

by Komoru



Category: Persona 5
Genre: 5+1 Things, Established Relationship, F/M, First Love, Gen, Makoto learns how relationships work, Unreliable Narrator, shumako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2020-04-23 18:37:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19156669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Komoru/pseuds/Komoru
Summary: Makoto needed to treat love like a test. And since it was a test, then she needed to get an A. Which meant she needed to study. She needed to do research! Ask questions! At least, that’s what she did for normal tests. Maybe those methods didn’t work for a test about love.Studying love was going to be difficult, but it helped that she had a study partner.Maybe she wouldn’t flunk this test after all.





	1. Words of Affirmation

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to post the first chapter of this for a few days now, and finally got around to it. I'm biting the bullet and getting the ball rolling here. This idea popped in my head a while back and I decided to kick my ass into gear and start writing it. 
> 
> I've also always wanted to try those 5+1 things, so this worked well in my favor. 
> 
> I'm going to try and make this canon compliant, but I'm not the strongest at remembering dates or timelines, so if there's some continuity errors feel free to point them out. This takes place after Makoto's rank 9 confidant but before rank 10, and after Haru joins.

Makoto was an excellent student. Some would say she was even a model student. She was always involved in a committee at school, organizing events and handling situations that the adults didn’t want to deal with. Plus, she balanced her education on top of that. Year after year, she was the top of her class in every exam. However, there was one type of test that Makoto couldn’t ever pass.

And that was love.

If Makoto was ever tested on love, she would surely flunk. At least, that’s what Eiko had told her.

During one of their conversations, she had made that comment, and it had stuck with Makoto ever since.

Sure, she loved her sister. And she loved to read books, she loved studying. But if Makoto was ever tested about romantic love… it was surely going to be an F.

And Makoto Niijima did not get a failing grade on any test. Which could only mean one thing.

She needed to ace this self-issued test.

Makoto needed to treat love like a test. And since it was a test, then she needed to get an A. Which meant she needed to study. She needed to do research! Ask questions! At least, that’s what she did for normal tests. Maybe those methods didn’t work for a test about love.

Studying love was going to be difficult, but it helped that she had a study partner.

Maybe she wouldn’t flunk this test after all.

The first step was doing some research. And since Makoto already knew the subject of this test, that made researching ten times easier.

When classes were done for the day, Makoto made way towards the library. Somehow, she found herself becoming nervous. She couldn’t quite figure out why. It was just studying. She always studied! In fact, she looked forward to it. But maybe it was the subject at hand that made her nervous.

She swallowed her nerves down and stepped through the doors. There was no easy way to ask the librarian if they had any books about love. Makoto was certain she would just be handed some dumb teen magazines anyway.

Eiko had suggested one of those before. Back when Makoto informed her that she and Ren were going out for real, and she asked for some advice on relationships.

“Why are you asking me? You’re the one with a boyfriend. But if you really want advice, try one of those quizzes in a monthly magazine. There’s some legit good advice in there.” Eiko had said.

Makoto hated to admit it, but Eiko was right. She was the one with the boyfriend. But she had no idea what she was doing either. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do to be a good girlfriend. What was she supposed to say, or do? Was she supposed to make a bento for Ren every day? Did they have to each lunch together? What if-

She paused her thoughts there.

Her mind was flooded with questions like these. Every time one question popped up, ten more followed immediately afterwards. Makoto shook her head and took a deep breath. She needed to focus. All she needed to do was get some studying done. It was just like preparing for a regular test. Yeah, that was it.

She looked through the rows of nonfiction books, searching under the psychology and sociology authors. Although none of them were specifically researching love, there had to have been some mention of it.

After Makoto collected a couple of books, she scanned the row of study cubicles and settled for the one near the corner. Before she exited the aisle, a stray book caught her eye. It was sloppily pushed at the end of the row of books, like someone had decided last minute they didn’t want it anymore. She frowned at the sight. Can’t people put things back the way they found them anymore?

Balancing the stack of books on one arm, Makoto reached out to place the book back properly. She paused, however, when she picked it up and noticed the title.

‘5 Love Languages’ was an interesting title. The cover was nothing notable. In fact, it looked more like a romance novel than a nonfiction book. It was a generic looking couple on a beach, smiling widely at each other. But, Makoto didn’t want to judge it too harshly on the cover. She slipped the book on the top of her pile and walked over to the study rows, settling in to the one in the corner.

She ignored the psychology and sociology books for now, opting to read the languages one first.

It was an interesting read. The books author explained about different languages of love that people spoke. He broke it down into 5 main ones.

Makoto took in every word the author wrote, even backtracking to read a chapter or two over again. The book was a quick read, it only took about half an hour to get through. But the author went into details about the five most comment types of love.

The first one was words of affirmation. And if Makoto understood this correctly, it meant that people loved to hear words of encouragement or approval. They sought praise because they loved it.

This got Makoto thinking; did she speak any of these love languages?

She considered the first one; words of affirmation.

Before awakening to her Persona, Makoto did everything because she was told to. The praise she got was… satisfying. It felt like what she was doing was worthwhile. Especially if those words came from Sae. She just wanted some sort of confirmation that the road she was on was the correct one.

But now, Makoto was making decisions for herself. If she was going to get good grades, it was going to be for her. She was going to do things for herself from now on, without wanting the approval of an adult.

Still, she did get praised by adults and peers alike. But Makoto didn’t _love_ it. She didn’t need it anymore. In fact, there were times she wished she didn’t receive as much attention as she did. But reputations were hard to shake at Shujin. Ren knew that especially well.

Ren…

Her mind then began to wander.

Was this a language of love that she spoke to Ren?

Ren always encouraged her. Before they officially started dating, he encouraged her to go out and try and see what a normal student life was. Whenever she encountered something new, Ren didn’t force her to try it. He was patient with her and allowed her to try new things at her own pace. But he always gave her a gentle nudge.

_“It’ll be fun, you should try it.”_

_“It seems like a game you would like, give it a shot.”_

_“That looks cute on you, I like it.”_

There were plenty more times where Ren was encouraging.

But, did Ren get enough encouragement?

The student body at Shujin didn’t encourage him. Even though both he and Makoto topped their respective classes during the exam season, she received much more praise than Ren did. In fact, Ren’s top score was questioned by a lot of his classmates. They couldn’t believe that some ‘delinquent’ was the top of the class. Thankfully, Ann and Ryuji recognized Ren’s achievements. So did Morgana and Haru.

But what about herself? Did Makoto encourage Ren enough?

Before she could think too much into it, Makoto could hear the voices in the library rise. They interrupted her train of thought to a screeching halt, and she frowned. She couldn’t quite make out what anyone was saying, but the increase in volume was annoying. In response, she stuck her nose deeper into her book.

This was a library, why was everyone’s voices so loud?

“It figures I would find you here.”

Makoto was nearly startled out of her chair. She tossed her book forward, flipping one of her notebooks over it as she looked up to the voice.

Ren looked down at her with a small smile. His sharp gray eyes glanced between her and the books sprawled out on her desk. She followed his gaze and double checked to make sure that one book was out of sight.

Thankfully, it was. Ren didn’t seem to notice.

She tried to regain her composure and offered him a small smile.

“H-Hey, what brings you here?”

“Well, I was planning on studying, as a certain someone reminded me to the other day.”

Makoto blushed under his stare, which drew a grin from him.

“But my usual spot was taken-” he tapped her desk. “-and I wanted to ask if it was okay if I sat next to you for a while.”

Usual spot? Did he always study in this corner?

Makoto also wanted to protest and ask why he felt like he needed permission. Then she remembered that they were still at school.

The school that had no idea they were dating.

That and Ren always respected her study time. He probably didn’t want to disturb her. Makoto was known for getting lost in her studies, to the point that anything outside of her world of books didn’t seem to exist. However, she did welcome company, especially if it was Ren’s. She also found it sweet that he even felt like he had to ask her.

She smiled up at him and moved her chair, allowing him room.

“Yes, of course.”

Ren settled in to the cubicle next to her and pulled out his textbooks. As he did, Makoto noticed the surrounding students had fallen into a hushed silence. A group of students huddled together and leaned in close, whispers suddenly filling the air.

_“What’s he doing here in the library?”_

_“I didn’t know he studied… do you think it’s true he got the top score of his class?”_

_“No way, I hear he beats people up to make them do his homework!”_

_“You’re right! I heard it from my friend in his homeroom…”_

_“I can’t believe he’s sitting next to Niijima-san, too. He’s got some guts to do that.”_

_“Did you see the way they talked to each other, too? They’re on friendly terms.”_

_“Maybe she’s keeping him in line. I bet the principal put her up to it.”_

_“Wait, shit! Did she just look this way?”_

_“No… I don’t think so. Let’s get out of here though before she hears us.”_

It was too late for that, Makoto had heard every one of the whispers. She just barely kept herself from glaring at them though. The group of students shuffled out of the library, muttering some more lies on the way out. The library was suddenly quiet, and she realized it was just her and Ren left, aside from the librarian at the front. She wondered if Ren had heard them. He had to, they weren’t being very subtle about talking. She glanced over at him over the divider between them.

Ren was leaned over on the table. His textbook opened before him, and a notebook off to the side. His gray eyes were solely focused on the books, and he didn’t seem fazed by any of the talk that just happened.

His pencil was balanced between his fingers, twirling it every now and then when he got stuck on a problem. She couldn’t help but notice how neatly organized his notes were, too. From what Makoto could see, his handwriting was small and neat. Something she didn’t expect out of a boy. They seemed sectioned off by subject, then a question and answer type of format.

Suddenly, Makoto noticed that Ren’s hand disappeared from her view. She felt a pair of eyes were on her. Sheepishly, she looked back up at Ren. He was leaned back in his chair, balancing on the back two legs as he looked at her.

“Are you trying to copy my notes, Miss President?” Ren teased.  

Oh no, she was caught staring at him.

“No! I mean, no. Of course not. I would never.” Makoto said, eyes swiftly returning to her own books that she had forgotten about.

She heard him chuckle beside her.

“I know. If anything, I should be asking you if I could copy your notes.”

Makoto paused. Did he think his notes weren’t good enough? From what she could see, Ren had more than enough notes. Some were even more detailed than hers. Or maybe she was reading too into it. She did have a nasty habit of overthinking things. But sometimes it was hard to decipher if Ren was joking or not. Still, it bothered Makoto.

Her eyes glanced down at the book before her. Its contents were still fresh in her mind. The five different languages of love… maybe she should try speaking some of those.

She gathered her courage and leaned back in her chair. Without thinking, Makoto reached out and placed a hand on Ren’s arm. That caught his attention. And for a moment, she thought she caught him off guard. He turned to look at her with a surprised expression, then quirked his head to the side with an amused smirk.

“Yes?”

Here goes nothing.

“I think that you take great notes. I mean, you have gotten the top grade out of your class, haven’t you? That says something. I-I don’t think you have to worry about it. You’ve been a model student and I, uh, I think that you set a good example for people. But if you ever need help, r-remember you can rely on me.”

There! She said it!

Makoto held her breath, uncertain how Ren would react to her words of praise. The two of them remained still, and the moment lasted too long for Makoto’s liking. Did she say something wrong? Did he not like the praise? Or maybe she said too much. Oh no, this wasn’t going according to plan at all.

But then, Ren’s smirk faded into an honest smile. An airy laugh came from him and he took Makoto’s hand off his arm, then intertwined their fingers together under the desk.

“Thanks, Makoto. I suppose you’re right. But don’t forget you can rely on me, too, from now on. With whatever type of ‘studying’ you may need.”

There was a Joker-like smirk on his face.

Makoto’s face burned red and she shyly looked away. He was quick to turn the tables on her; how did he do this? Did she even have an advantage on him before?

Ren seemed satisfied with her reaction and returned to his studies. Their hands stayed linked under the table, just out of view of the rest of the library. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. It eased her a bit, and she returned it lightly.

Perhaps she wouldn’t completely flunk this love test after all.


	2. Quality Time

Eiko was sitting across from Makoto with her legs crossed and her hands wrapped around a tea mug. The two decided to meet up and finally settle things but the atmosphere was… awkward.

Since the two sat down, silence hung between them. They ordered their drinks from the waitress, and Makoto was certain Eiko’s was cold by now. She didn’t want to be the first to break the silence, though. She wasn’t even sure how she could if she wanted to. There was a lot to talk about between the two, but Makoto wasn’t sure where to start.

The last time they saw each other was when she and Ren confronted Tsukasa, and the situation escalated after he was exposed. Harsh words were exchanged (and a slap to the face, which Makoto still doesn’t regret) and Eiko had taken off. The two girls hardly talked since then. That is, until the other day, when Eiko approached her at school and asked if she was free later that day.

So here they were, neither one wanting to speak. At this point, Makoto was wondering why she called for this in the first place.

But a deep sigh cut through the air, prompting Makoto to look up.

Eiko was sitting up straight with her back against the booth. Her arms were crossed, and her eyes were averted to the side.

“Look, this isn’t easy for me to say, and I’m only going to say it once.”

She took another deep breath in, and a long exhale out.

“I’m sorry.”

Oh, that was unexpected.

“I was being a real bitch to you and your boyfriend before. You guys were right about Tsukasa. He really was using me from the start… I was so dumb for believing him.”

“Eiko…”

“Pft, don’t give me that.” Eiko pouted and crossed her arms. Despite her tone, the blush on her cheeks was a dead giveaway she was embarrassed.

Makoto couldn’t help but smile. Part of her was afraid Eiko was still mad at her. Thankfully, that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Look, I’m gonna start seriously focuses on my studies again. And I may not know what I wanna do, but I’ll figure it out eventually!”

Determination filled her face and Eiko seemed brighter than ever. Makoto couldn’t stop the smile that was growing on her face. Eiko was being surprisingly mature about the situation. She was proud of her for that.

“I’m glad you figured things out, Eiko. And you know, if you ever need any help with studying, I’ll always be here for you.”

That got a laugh out of her. A genuine laugh.

“I figured you would. But thanks, I appreciate it.”

Makoto felt relieved. There was no longer any awkward tension between them, and she felt like had her friend back. She had to admit, there was some void that only Eiko filled. Their personalities were on different ends of a spectrum, but they found common ground in Buchimaru merchandise. Through that, Makoto found she enjoyed Eiko’s company.

“But,” Eiko leaned on the table towards Makoto, resting her elbows at the edge. “enough about me. We need to talk about _you._ ”

Makoto blinked in confusion.

“Me?”

“Yes, you! You still need to tell me all about your boyfriend!”

Eiko returned to her cheer personality. Her eyes grew big in interest, and she seemed to take pleasure in the fact Makoto was flustered. She bounced back quickly from that.

Heat immediately raised to her cheeks and Makoto was suddenly wishing she had a glass of water instead. She wasn’t used to people asking about her relationships, it was oddly embarrassing. The rest of the Phantom Thieves were unaware of her and Ren’s relationship, despite some close calls. Both decided to keep their relationship a secret from the rest. They didn’t want it to get in the way of Phantom Thief business, or things to potentially get awkward between their friends.

Eventually, Makoto wanted to tell them, but now was definitely not the time. They had a heist deadline to meet, and they were rapidly approaching the end of the palace, which meant they had a major battle ahead of them. The last thing Makoto wanted to do was drop this sort of news on her friends.

“Well? Are you gonna tell me about him or not? Tell me all about him, Makoto! He was _super_ cute when I saw him. Does he ever brush his hair? Or do you like the shaggy style?”

Her blush deepened on her cheeks and she fiddled with the mug in front of her. She was not used to this type of questioning. Though, from what Makoto understood, it was typical ‘girl’ talk. It felt a bit invasive. However, it seemed that Eiko wasn’t going to let up on the questions, so she no choice.

“I, um. Well, I don’t think he knows what a brush is. I-I like it, though. He’s really cute underneath all that hair…” She mumbled through the last part.

Why was this so embarrassing?

Eiko seemed to be pleased with the answer. She leaned in further on the table and at this point she was standing over it. In a hush tone, Eiko asked: “Have you guys done it yet?”

That question was too much for Makoto. She wanted to throw herself off a cliff. Or maybe bury herself so far deep in the ground that no one could ever find her. Whatever part of her face that wasn’t red surely was at this point. She sunk in her booth and shook her head wildly.

“T-That’s a very straight forward question. Can we change the t-topic?” Makoto couldn’t look Eiko in the eye. But even then, she could see the smug look on the other girl’s face.

As if content with her answer, Eiko sat back in her booth and smirked at Makoto.

“Ohh? You’re dodging the question. Well, whenever you do wanna talk about it, I’m all ears. I love hearing about juicy stuff like that. But you have to tell me what your dates are like! Is he a gentleman? Or is he a complete Casanova? Or maybe he’s a complete knight in shining armor, like you see in manga.”

Makoto hid her face in her hands. Oh boy, her face was absolutely burning. The laughter that came from Eiko somehow deepened her blush. Was that even possible at this point? She was pretty sure her face matched her eyes right now.

Still, part of her couldn’t deny any of Eiko’s claims. From his mannerisms to his personality to his words, Ren was absolutely a gentleman. Makoto had an idea of what a gentleman was before. Though, her knowledge only came from movies and things she had seen in the media. And while Ren did some of those, like opening the door for her, but there were more subtle things he did that earned him the gentleman title.

Maybe he would have her favorite blend of coffee already brewed before she came over, and the two mugs would be perfectly placed together before she arrived. Or when they went shopping, he would quietly take all their bags as they walked around. Sometimes it was the way Ren would slip his hand into hers to give her a reassuring touch when she was stressed.

That said, he still had a flirty side to him that only Makoto was privileged enough to see. Underneath his quiet demeanor was a very confident and flashy personality. Smooth words rolled off his tongue, and with a captivating smile Ren was hard to ignore.

“I… suppose he’s a bit of everything. He’s a gentleman at heart, but h-he can be f-flirty when he wants to.” Makoto said, removing her hands from her face.

Disappointment spread across Eiko’s face.

“Come on, there’s gotta be more you can tell me than that. How about your most recent date! Tell me _all_ about it.”

“A-ah… well, we…” Makoto paused to think.

Just when was their last date anyway?

The most recent one that came to mind was some study date about two weeks ago. Which Eiko probably had no interest in hearing. As far as ‘exciting’ dates go, Makoto came up with blanks. She could think of all their not-dates they went on prior to dating, back when she asked Ren to help broaden her horizons. They’d gone to the arcane multiple times, and to the movies occasionally. But since they officially started dating for real, those types of outings seemed rare.

Though, Makoto was usually the one who initiated those types of dates. Maybe he was waiting on her to ask again.

“… we haven’t gone out in a while, if I’m being honest.” Makoto sighed.

Eiko didn’t seem to pick up the disappointment. Instead, she shocked and uncrossed her arms.

“Ehh? Don’t you guys spend, like, a lot of time with each other?” The other girl seemed genuinely surprised.

“Well I wouldn’t say we don’t… but we’re usually surrounded by our other friends.”

Makoto did see Ren at least once a day, and twice if there was some Phantom Thief business to attend to. But as far as alone time with him, it didn’t happen often. It wasn’t like they never spoke, though. They would text each other during the evenings, or study together at school. However, this probably wasn’t the ‘quality time’ Eiko was suggesting.

“That’s no good. No good at all. You two need some time together, _alone._ Trust me, Mako-chan, spending time with your significant other is like, the most important thing! Whenever I was in relationships, I spent as much time as I could with them. It totally helped us to bond, and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my time any other way.”

Normally, Makoto would have disregarded Eiko’s advice. Her advice regarding relationships were hit or miss, in her opinion. Sometimes Eiko would hit the nail on the head, and other times her advice sounded completely insane. However, this advice was more like the former. And it jogged something in Makoto’s memory.

The book she read a little bit ago described something like this. That book described how people valued quality time with their significant other and loved their undivided attention. Considering how Eiko was talking, this seemed to be her primary language of love. Makoto could see how, too. But what about her? Was she spending enough time with Ren?

They spent a lot of time together but surrounded by their friends. Or they would have the eyes of the student body upon them, so what they could do was limited. The more she thought about it, the more Makoto realized they didn’t spend a lot of time together, just the two of them.

She frowned at the thought. This seemed to be an important love language, too, and she was failing to speak it.

“Seriously, Makoto, I thought that maybe you would have learned more about love! You would still totally fail a test about love.”

“I-I won’t! I mean…” Makoto bit her lip, then sighed in defeat. “maybe you’re right, Eiko. Maybe – well, no – I don’t know what I’m doing anymore.”

She didn’t exactly want to ask Eiko about love languages. Knowing her, she would take Makoto’s question the wrong way. But she wanted to ask her _something_ at least.

“… what would be on a test about love, anyway?” Makoto asked, leaning her cheek into her hand.

Eiko didn’t miss a beat in answering. It was like she thought about this question before and had the answers for her.

“Well, considering what tests I’ve taken online,” she began counting off on her fingers. “How much are you guys talking? Like, you know, every week or every day, or not at all. Are you spending enough time with each other? And is he supportive of you? You definitely need someone who’s gonna support you, especially with how much studying you do. Oh! And how thoughtful is he with gifts, gifts matter a lot, you know.”

“Are those actually on these tests you take?”

It concerned Makoto how much these questions lined up with the book she had read before. Maybe there was some truth in these online tests after all.

“Duh, I only take quizzes that aren’t bullshit.” Eiko rolled her eyes and finished off her drink.

There could have been some truth in what she was saying, Makoto figured. But she was hesitant to believe her still. There wasn’t a real test about love that was out there. Maybe eventually there could be a scientific research out there about love, but not the one Makoto wanted or needed.

The two girls talked for a long while after that. Their conversation went into the evening, and eventually Eiko had to leave. At least they left on good terms, and she promised to tell Makoto whenever some Buchimaru merchandise went on sale online. On the train ride home, Makoto stared at her phone.

If she was ever going to pass a test about love, Makoto needed to take her studying seriously. And considering what Eiko and the book had talked about, she needed to learn more about these different love languages. Eiko had found the one that worked for her, perhaps Makoto needed to find the one that worked for her and Ren.

Words of affirmations was… pleasant, to say the least. It had caught Ren off guard, and it seemed to bring a genuine smile to his face. But it didn’t feel like the right one. Makoto needed to explore the other options.

The grip on her phone tightened and she took a deep breath.

She unlocked her phone in one swift motion and started a text thread to Ren.

**Makoto:** Hey. (7:36 P.M.)

**Makoto:** What does your Sunday look like next week? (7:36 P.M.)

The time between her text and his response was suffocating. But after a few minutes, Makoto got a reply.

**Ren:** Next Sunday? (7:41 P.M.)

**Ren:** I’m free. (7:42 P.M.)

**Ren:** Is there something you want to study? (7:42 P.M.)

Her thumbs hovered over her phone, considering how to construct the next message. It made sense Ren thought she wanted to study, that was all Makoto usually did. But she was trying to loosen up, trying to become less of the robotic student she was known to be and be more like a regular high schooler.

**Makoto:** Well, I wanted to visit Chinatown. (7:48 P.M.)

**Makoto:** There’s some foods I wanted to try. (7:48 P.M.)

**Makoto:** And I was wondering if you would like to go out with me. (7:49 P.M.)

She didn’t need to state it was a date, right? Or did she? Maybe she should have specified.

The phone buzzed in her hand.

**Ren:** Of course. (7:50 P.M.)

**Ren:** How can I decline my Queen? (7:50 P.M.)

**Ren:** It’s a date, then. (7:50 P.M.)

A smile began growing on her face.

Maybe understanding love wasn’t going to be so hard after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a bit difficult at first. I actually had an entirely different direction typed out, then deleted it because it didn't feel right. Then I decided to have Makoto converse with Eiko, and I was reminded of what Makoto said in her rank 10 confidant how she and Eiko made up.
> 
> And that's how this chapter came to be! Eiko was fun to write. She can be a bit naive at times, but she has a good heart and good intentions. Maybe a bit too blunt about certain topics for Makoto's liking, though.


	3. Gifts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, I didn't think it would take me months to continue this, but life decided to hit me in the face with a bat and I lost muse for it.
> 
> Until now, where I suddenly had a itch to write at 12:30am in the morning. 
> 
> So here I am now.

The anticipation was going to be the death of her. Makoto gripped her purse for dear life, eyes focused on the floor of the train. Today was the day of the date and she was feeling incredibly nervous. For one, it was the first date that Makoto had asked Ren on, and her nerves were all over the place. Secondly, she had a mission today and wasn’t quite sure how to accomplish it.

Makoto was going to find a gift for Ren. That was one of the love languages she had learned about. And it made sense. Gifts were a wonderful way to show you cared for someone. They could be personalized or practical, but either way, they were thoughtful. The problem was… she had no idea what to get him. Which made her feel a bit sad. He was her boyfriend after all, she had to have some idea of what to get him. But she didn’t.

It was a weird sensation. She knew what Ren liked, and she didn’t know at the same time. He liked simple things. Something practical and simple perhaps would do. But then she would over think it.

What if it was _too_ simple? What if it didn’t portray her feelings properly?

Makoto shook her head a bit. She needed to stop, her thoughts were getting out of hand. All she needed to do was take a mental step back and regather herself. She couldn’t let Ren see her flustered.

Not today, at least.

-

Chinatown was buzzing with activity. The narrow road was filled to the brim with shops, lanterns and banners, all displaying or advising something different. Makoto smelled delicious food from the vendors nearby, but she resisted. She had something specific in mind she wanted to try.

As she and Ren walked through, Makoto found herself looking at the banners and signs placed around. They all seemed the same to her, but when she looked at each one closely, there were mild differences. It was a little disorientating, if she was being honest.

At one point, she found herself completely lost in a sea of red and gold. Makoto fell only a few paces behind Ren, how did she lose him so fast?

Panic started to boil up in her, but only for a moment. A hand reached out to her and gently tugged her aside. Makoto was nearly ready to elbow whoever it belonged to, but realized it was only Ren.

“Come on, we can take a break over here.”

He guided her through the crowd and off to the side., where there wasn’t a flow of people passing by.

Once they were safely out of the way, Makoto took a deep breath. Her hand was still in Ren’s, the touch of his was comforting and grounding. She appreciated it.

“Thank you for that. I can’t believe how big this place is… are we even going the right way? I feel like we’re going to get lost, I can’t even remember which way we came from.”

Granted, it was only one long stretch of booths and stores, Makoto couldn’t remember which way they entered from.

Ren smiled a bit.

“It’s okay, I remember the way we came.”

He wrapped his fingers around hers a bit tighter, that gentle smile of his warmed soothed her anxiety. “Let’s enjoy ourselves here. It’s just us today. We can window shop as long as you want, if you want, Queen.”

Oh, he knew how to get under her skin. A blush rose to her cheeks, but she maintained her composure.

Makoto cleared her throat and slowly met his gaze.

“Smooth talker… but, okay. Let’s start looking around.” She smiled up at him. “I’m looking forward to this. It’ll be fun. If we’re going to get lost, might as well get lost completely.”

Ren returned her smile and tugged on her hand, stepping into the crowd of people. “Well then, shall we?”

The two of them strolled through Chinatown aimlessly, weaving in and out of stalls and stores. Makoto was enchanted with all the little trinkets, all the different types of food. She excitedly pointed out a small shop nearby, which Ren easily followed her to.

It was so easy being around him. Makoto felt at ease. She pointed out some Buchimaru-Kun merchandise, noting how cute the plush was. Just then, Ren’s phone seemed to blow up with notifications. He seemed surprised and excused himself for a moment, stepping outside.

She continued to look at the various items on the shelves, then realized this granted her the perfect opportunity.

Ren was away from her, this was her chance to search for a gift.

Makoto figured she didn’t have much time. Though if he was talking to Ryuji, it might take a few minutes. She scanned over the various items.

Too expensive.

Too simple.

Too… not-Ren.

Then, she laid her eyes on something just right.

-

Makoto and Ren exited the shop sometime later. She smiled to herself, hugging the bag to her chest as they left. He seemed to take notice of her good mood.

“Did you get something for yourself?”

She glanced at him, then at the contents in the bag. With a smile, Makoto shook her head.

“Not exactly.”

She pulled him off to the side, enjoying the quizzical look on his face. Ha! For once, she had him on the ropes.

Once they were out of the way of the crowd, Makoto stood facing Ren. She held the neatly packed bag out for him to take.

“Here, this is for you. It… it was cute, I couldn’t help but buy it for you.”

Makoto watched anxiously as Ren accepted the bag. He raised a brow at her, then glanced inside the bag. She leaned back on her heels, watching his expression.

At first, he blinked, then his lips formed a warm smile as he pulled the item out slightly to inspect.

The Shumai Cushion was wrapped neatly inside, lightly protected by the tissue paper. Ren scanned the cushion once over, then gently slid it back in the bag, looking at Makoto with a bright smile.

“You got this for me? Thank you.”

Makoto felt like the weight of the world was lifted off her shoulders.

He liked it! He liked her gift. She was almost afraid it was… too cute for a boy, but Ren seemed to truly appreciate it.

“You’re welcome. I’m, erm, really glad you like it.” She replied honestly.

Ren slid the bag’s handles over his arm, then reached into his bag for something as well.

“I actually have something for you too,” he admitted. That caught Makoto off guard. “I wasn’t sure when to give it to you but, now seems like the right time.”

He produced a small box from his bag and held it out for her to take. It was small, and very familiar. Makoto knew right off the bat it was a ring carrier, and for a moment, her cheeks heated up immediately.

No need to jump to conclusions there, Makoto. Calm down, she reminded herself.

She gently took the offered box and opened it up, gasping quietly at the contents inside.

Inside sat a small heart ring. It seemed so delicate within the box. She was almost afraid to pick it up, thinking it would break under her touch.

“You… you got this for me?” Makoto asked, almost in disbelief. Did she deserve something like this?

Ren scratched the bridge of his nose and nodded. She took notice of the light blush on his cheeks, and the fact he only briefly met her gaze.

Was he… nervous? That was rare.

“I saw it in the underground mall a little while ago. … I thought of you, and thought you’d like it.”

Makoto’s heart swelled with appreciation. She smiled fondly, looking up at Ren with a bright smile.

“Thank you, Ren. It’s beautiful.”

There seemed to be relief on Ren’s face as well. He returned her smile with one of his own and leaned a bit closer to her.

“I’m glad you like it.”

She slipped the ring onto her right hand. It easily fit on her ring finger. Makoto turned her hand a bit to appreciate the ring in the sunlight.

This was Ren’s gift to her. Suddenly, her cushion gift felt extremely underwhelming in comparison to his.

A cushion! Was this really the best she could do? Makoto almost frowned at the thought.

No, she would do better. Next time, she’d get him a gift that would be just as beautiful. A gift that would show her love properly.

Makoto would make sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll probably go back and revise this later, let's be honest. But for now, enjoy some random nearly 1am writing from me, a starved fluff writer.


	4. Acts of Service

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 2:30am again and here I am, finishing this chapter because I wanted to write something. I had a hard time figuring out how to lay this chapter out and how to end it off, but hopefully I managed. 
> 
> I'm determined to finish this fic before the end of the year though. It will happen, I swear.

“This blows! I can’t read anything on this page. Ann, you read it, you know English better than anyone.”

“You can’t expect me to read everything for you, try and read it yourself!”

“I did! But none of this is making any ‘effing sense!”

Ryuji and Ann’s bickering echoed through LeBlanc. The two were usually at each other’s throats, today was no exception it seemed.

Makoto sighed and placed her pencil down, staring at the two with a frown. The group had decided to take it easy and get together to study (her idea, of course), and not even half an hour into the study session, she was beginning to regret it.

She was used to studying in quiet, alone in her room or in the library with nothing but her books and her thoughts. But now, Makoto was surrounded by friends, and they were quite the lively bunch. Normally, she didn’t mind the noise, but today, those were starting to get on her nerves.

“Man, you guys really suck at this whole studying thing.” Futaba noted. She was perched on one of the bar stools, knees up to her chest. “Have you guys accomplished anything?”

“I got a couple of notes from chapter ten written here, I think it’s been rather successful.” Haru said with a smile. She seemed pleased with herself.

Yusuke sat at the bar with Futaba, his arms and legs crossed as he observed the others. “Even if you have not accomplished much, I have to say, there is some potential here… perhaps something I can use in the future.” He framed the group at the table between his fingers, squinting at them with one eye.

“Just make them stop!” Morgana pleaded.

The bickering continued, there was no stopping it now. Makoto silently surrendered, gathering her notebook and pencil. She joined Yusuke at the bar, putting a seat between them.

Ren worked behind the counter, brewing some coffee and tea. An amused smirk was plastered on his face, he leaned on the counter towards Makoto as she settled in.

“Too noisy?”

She looked up with a tired expression and nodded. He smiled lightly and leaned forward a bit. The others were busy bickering, unaware of the little exchange between the two.

“Do you want to stay after they leave? I’ll make you some curry.” Ren smirked a little as he entered her space. Makoto almost hated how easy it was for him to make her blush. Almost.

She cleared her throat and met his gaze. They shared a knowing smile. “Well, I suppose I could stay for a little bit longer.”

-

The rest of the Thieves had left after what felt like forever. Ann had bid them farewell and disappeared through the door. Makoto had already spread her books and notebooks across the table, claiming the space for herself. Ren moved behind the counter, preparing the stove top for the curry he had promised her.

She looked up from her notes, watching him carefully. Ren was always working hard behind that counter it seemed, whether it was making curry or coffee. He worked carefully and precise, and it showed in his work. His curry and coffee were amazing. Of course, not on Boss’ level yet, but Ren was getting there.

A thought crossed her mind though. When was the last time she did something for him?

Makoto mulled over the idea. The book had talked about this, now that she thought about it. Acts of service, which meant that actions spoke louder than words. It seemed to fit Ren well, especially now since she was thinking about it. But she couldn’t remember the last time she did something for him.

She wanted to change that.

“Um, do you want some help?”

Ren had his head in the fridge when she asked. Makoto could see him pause for a moment, then he peered at her over the fridge door inquisitively.

“Help?” He asked.

“Y-Yes, help. Do you need help with anything? Maybe with the dishes or the ingredients?”

Makoto waited anxiously for a response. She could see the gears turning in his head, Ren was debating something. Maybe that was too impulsive to ask. She was starting to regret her decision, that is until he chuckled and closed the fridge door.

“Well, I suppose the dishes could be cleaned—”

“I can do that.”

She scooted out of the booth and made her way behind the counter. Makoto could feel Ren’s eyes on her, studying her for a long moment. For a moment, it seemed like he wanted to ask something, but he stayed quiet and resumed his work on the curry.

The dishes were done before Ren was finished. Makoto could smell the curry from the opposite side of the kitchen. She turned around, back pressed against the counter, and hands gripping the edge.

“Is there, um, anything else I can do?”

Again, there was that inquisitive stare of his. Ren glanced at her over his shoulder, eyes studying her for a moment. He smiled a bit and returned his gaze to the pot, stirring slowly.

“I think I have everything covered. You should relax.”

There must have been something Makoto could have done. But she silently surrendered and returned to her spot in the booth. She thought his eyes stayed on her again, but maybe she imagined that.

Not long after, Ren served both of them a full plate of Boss’ signature curry. She could never get over how good it was, it was something Makoto could never get tired of.

They talked about everything and anything, but she couldn’t help but feel there was something Ren wanted to ask her. His eyes were constantly studying her, like she was a puzzle he couldn’t figure out. But each time Makoto thought he was going to ask, he smiled instead and talked about something else.

Makoto didn’t ask but she had a sneaking suspicion it was related to her behavior earlier. She had caught Ren off guard it seemed when she asked if he needed help. Almost like it was unexpected.

She wanted to help though, to show that she cared. Was that so weird? Makoto thought that maybe she could show her feelings through a simple act. Actions spoke louder than words, didn’t they? Maybe she needed to do something different, something bigger that would get her feelings across.

There had to be something else she could do; another way Makoto could show Ren how much she cared about him. Maybe the acts of service weren’t the right way to get that message across, maybe she needed to do something else. Something more… intimate.

Well, there was one more type of love that she had read about.

Why didn’t she think about that before?

Makoto suddenly felt the heat rise to her cheeks and a butterfly storm through her stomach.

Oh right.

That’s why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can probably guess what the last love language is.


	5. Physical Touch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't finish this before the new year, but guess who's finished Royal and had to revisit this? I have an idea for another fic after this and would like to complete this before then, so.
> 
> Also, this isn't beta read and completed at 4am the other night. Because something something we die like men.

This was her chance; she couldn’t blow it.

Makoto nervously adjusted her skirt, fingers curling around the seam as she tugged it down. This felt ridiculous, why was she getting nervous? All she was doing was heading to Leblanc to meet up with Ren for a study date, just like they had done numerous times before.

It had been a while since they had any time together. Well it had only been a week or so. But to her teenage mind, that did feel like eternity. Still, this was just like any other study date they had. It was just that… she was going to try and study something new.

Her grip tightened on the pole at the thought.

She let out a frustrated groan.

This was either going to be the bravest thing Makoto has ever done or the dumbest.

-

When Makoto arrived at Leblanc, it was quiet as always. The closed sign hung from the door, but she knew that Ren was waiting inside for her. That was simply to ward off customers, both she and the Phantom Thieves knew they were welcomed any time at the café.

She took a deep breath, steeling her nerves, before stepping inside.

The familiar jingle of the bell went off, and Ren perked up from one of the booths. He had his study guide and notebook sprawled on the table, and a cup of coffee sitting on the edge.

“Hey, just in time,” Ren said, standing to greet her. “the curry is just about done.” He pecked her cheek with a kiss, an action that Makoto came to adore.

“What perfect timing then.” She replied. Somehow, Makoto managed to keep composed, despite the fact her nerves were almost getting the best of her on the train.

As he disappeared behind the counter to check on the food, she slipped into the booth and began taking out her belongings. This was a study date after all, Makoto wasn’t going to let that time go to waste. But she went into this with a plan.

Her plan was as follows.

Study for an hour or two as normal, then suggest heading up to the attic to watch a movie or something. Take a break perhaps? Some excuse to get Ren and herself upstairs really.

Then that was when she was going to try to… how did Eiko put it? ‘Make a move’?

Eiko had given some sound advice the last time Makoto talked to her.

“First, you have to make sure the atmosphere is just right. No point in the mood if both parties aren’t enjoying it. Secondly, you gotta be the one to take control! Guys like a girl with confidence, you know. I’m sure Ren-kun will be swooning and you’ll have him wrapped around you finger in no time. Just don’t forget the moves I told you about. A flirty kiss… a wink to lure him in… and… bam! He’s all yours.”

She could practically hear Eiko’s excitement in her head, replaying the conversation back in her head and all. The other girl was beaming with happiness, and there was a hint of mischievous in her eyes too. But honestly, Eiko had good intentions, and well, her advice didn’t sound too terrible. It wasn’t like she had anything to compare it to anyways. Plus, Eiko knew more about her in love. For once, the bubbly girl was the experienced one in this situation.

“Don’t tell me you got stumped by a question already.”

Ren’s voice broke her out of her thoughts. Makoto looked up to find the boy hovering near her. He had slid in the booth next to her and leaned into her space. Two full plates of curry sat in front of them, the study materials pushed off to the side to be forgotten about.

“A-Ah, no. Sorry, just thinking about some things.” She leaned back a bit from his face, now just realizing how close they were.

He studied her for a beat and then smiled, leaning back out of her space. “Well, before you go full study mode on me, at least have some curry.”

Eventually, they fell into their comfortable routine. The curry was long gone, and the plates were stacked neatly on top of each other. Makoto and Ren sat side by side, going over different books and subjects together, going back and forth about various topics, and fell into a comfortable silence.

It wasn’t until an hour later that Ren broke that silence with a yawn. He stretched his arms behind his head, falling slack in the booth and sinking down into it.

“I’m starting to understand how Ryuji feels about this, I think my brain might be melting.”

“Oh please, now you’re starting to sound like him too.”

Makoto poked Ren with her pencil, shaking her head. He grinned in her direction and chuckled. The boy then pushed himself up and out of the booth, taking the plates with him.

“I’ll go clean this real quick, I think I just need a break from reading all the text.”

Once again, Ren disappeared behind the counter, leaving Makoto to her thoughts. As he turned on the water, she suddenly realized this was the chance she had been waiting for.

She cleared her throat. “H-How about we go upstairs for a little bit? Watch a movie o-or something?”

Damnit, her nerves betrayed her again. Makoto could barely get out her words without stuttering. Ren looked at her a bit confused, his eyes peering over the rim of his glasses to stare.

“You want to break from studying? Aren’t I normally the one to suggest that?”

Shit. Was she caught? No, just play it off.

“Well, you see I uh, figured I should take your advice?”

Ren studied her for a long moment. The silence between them was almost deafening. And if it wasn’t for the running water, Makoto would have thought that time did come to a standstill. But, after an eternity, he turned the water off and dried his hands on the towel.

“Well, I suppose we can move to my room then.”

Makoto practically jumped out of her seat. Suddenly, her heart was beating loud and fast in her chest.

“Um, a-after you!”

He raised a brow at her, and it looked like Ren was going to say something as he headed to the stairs. However, he closed his mouth and ascended, leaving Makoto a few paces behind.

This was her chance. She had to take it now.

She ran her fingers through her hair and adjusted her skirt. And after taking a deep breath, Makoto followed him up into the attic.

It was as dusty as always, but it was still surprisingly clean for a boy’s room. At least, that’s what she thought. She found Ren near his desk, picking up a few DVD cases from above and sifting through them.

“I have _The Running Dead_ and _The X Folders_ if you want to watch an episode or tw—Makoto?”

As he spoke, Makoto stepped forward. She tried to keep her composure and confidence as she gently pushed the DVD cases down and placed a hand on his chest.

All she had to do was remember what Eiko told her. Act with confidence, strut your stuff, bat an eye.

“W-Why don’t we forgo the DVDs and textbooks today and s-study something else?”

For the first time ever, Makoto had taken Ren completely off guard, but not in the way she wanted. He stared back at her wide eyed and she swore she saw some gears starting to turn in his head.

“Makoto? What do you—whoa!”

Something came over her. She placed a hand on his chest and gently pushed him towards his futon. Ren’s knees hit the edge and he fell onto it. He leaned onto the palms of his hands as Makoto joined him. Although, she was a little less graceful, with her foot catching on the edge and her losing her balance and all.

Makoto nearly crash landed on top of him. She squealed in surprise when Ren caught her, just before her face met the bedding. He held onto her arm to support her.

“Okay, what are you doing?” Ren asked, baffled by her actions.

Her face burned, both from embarrassment and their current situation. They were an awkward tangled mess of limbs on Ren’s futon. His hands were holding her wrists, 

“I, well I, um…” Whatever composure Makoto had going into this was suddenly gone. She was a deer caught in headlights. She searched for some excuse to give. What would Eiko say in this situation? 

Ren brought their hands down on the futon and let out a sigh. Makoto took her hands back, balling them into fists in her lap as she tucked her knees beneath her. She couldn't find the strength to meet his eyes. She heard a frustrated sigh from Ren, and he crossed his arms and looked at her with concern.

Then, he said something that made her heart drop.

“I think we need to have a talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters continue to get shorter, but I don't want to drag out something for too long either. Hopefully, this doesn't seem too out of character for Makoto. I think she would really try whatever advice Eiko would give her, since she's so inexperienced with relationships and all, and Eiko (more or less) knows her way around them. I originally had this going another way, but decided against it, since it didn't feel like a Makoto thing to do.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts! Otherwise, I should have this wrapped up by this weekend. Thanks for sticking around this long. :") See you then.


	6. Makoto's Love

Ren returned with a fresh cup of coffee. One for himself, one for Makoto. He set his down on the ground and offered hers quietly with a nod. She accepted, taking the fragile cup in her hands and wrapped her fingers around the handle. It was something to focus on, something to keep her grounded as her heart nearly raced out of her chest.

He sat down next to her, linking his fingers together as his elbows rested on his knees. The boy then glanced over at her with a worried expression, as if waiting to see if she would break the silence.

Makoto didn’t though. She couldn’t find the strength to say anything, and instead just peered into the coffee and the reflection from the lights.

When she didn’t offer to break the silence, Ren took the lead. He straightened up and turned to face her.

“So… can we talk about what happened?” He asked cautiously.

Makoto tightened her grip on the mug. She felt like a little kid who just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She felt guilty and shameful. Ren saw right through her, he always did. Honestly, Makoto was a fool to think he wouldn’t.

“Um… what do you want to talk about…?” She deflected with a question of her own.

Ren didn’t seem mad or agitated, there was only concern on his face. He leaned back on his hands and frowned a bit.

“Makoto, I’ve been wondering something for a while.”

Her chest tightened with anxiety. Makoto bit her lip and closed her eyes, waiting for the worst of it. What was she waiting for? Honestly, she couldn’t say. But she had a gut feeling that something bad was coming, she just knew it.

“Are you okay…? Is there something that you—well no, is there something that _we_ need to talk about?”

That was… not what she was expecting. Makoto raised her head and turned to meet Ren’s gaze.

“Am I okay?”

He nodded.

“Yeah, are you okay? Honestly, you’ve been acting a little… weird? For a while.” Ren paused and shook his head a bit. “Weird might be a bit blunt, what I mean is that it feels like you haven’t been yourself lately. Did something happen?”

She hasn’t been herself, huh? Makoto turned away, looking back at the coffee mug in her hands. So, he had noticed. Was he disappointed with her? Well, yeah, that was a stupid question. Of course he was disappointed with her, there was no way he wasn’t.

This entire thing had gone a step too far, hadn’t it? Makoto took a deep breath in and shook her head. It was time to be honest with Ren.

“I… yes. Something did happen. I-In a way.”

Suddenly, she felt guilty. Makoto placed her own mug on the ground and faced Ren properly, sheepish.

“I had a talk with Eiko a little while ago… and um, o-our relationship came up.”

Before the panic set in Ren’s eyes, she defensively raised her hands. “Nothing bad! Nothing bad, I promise. It’s just that…”

Lord, why was it so hard to admit this out loud?

“Eiko said I would fail a test on love, so I did some research into different types of love and how to show it, and I found this one book that had different details on five different types of love, there was like physical touch and gifts and quality time, and I thought if I put those into practice I could show you, and Eiko in a way, that I do know what love is and I could show you how much I love you, but I realize now I got ahead of myself and I’m so—”

“Hold on, Makoto. Take a breath.”

Ren shook her shoulder gently, which stopped her mid ramble. Makoto closed her mouth and drew her hands back into her lap. Silence fell between them again, and it almost got awkward. That is, until Ren spoke up.

“Um, can you repeat that again?”

That was… not what she was expecting. Makoto glanced at him, and for a moment, it almost looked like Ren was a little flustered. That was a very rare sight to see.

“About the research?”

“No.”

“Eiko?”

“No…”

“The different types of love?”

“No, not that. I mean what you said at the end. I… I want to make sure I heard you right.”

Makoto tilted her head a bit. It was her time to be confused.

Ren fiddled with a strand of his hair, a habit he had when he got nervous, which was still a very rare sight to see.

He met her gaze briefly, almost hesitantly. “I want to make sure I heard that right, that you love me.”

Makoto answered without a second thought. “Yes, of course I do.”

Then, Ren did something that she had never really seen before.

Ren blushed.

Although it was just a light dusting of pink, it was clear on his cheeks. His hand instinctively went to the back of his neck, and he dipped his head down to the point where his eyes disappeared behind his hair.

“And here I thought I was going to be the one to say it first.”

He raised his head and smiled at her warmly. “I love you too, you know. Although, I sort of wish I could have said it first.”

Now it was her turn to blush. Makoto stumbled over her own words.

“Y-You do?”

Ren nodded.

They stayed like that for a long moment, just staring at each other, nearly in disbelief. And then, the weight of the situation suddenly hit Makoto, and her hands flew to cover her mouth.

“Oh my god.”

He looked surprised and concerned.

“Ohhh my god. I just… oh I’m so stupid. I just told you I loved you, but I didn’t even say it properly.”

Makoto wanted to hide behind her hands, hide underneath her blanket at home, and never talk to anyone ever again. The embarrassment was too strong.

Ren stifled a laugh behind his hand. Or well, at least he tried. It turned into a full fit of laughter, which only deepened her embarrassment. Makoto whined and hid her entire face behind her hands.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and drew her into his side. Ren laughed a little into her hair, then gently kissed the top of it. She peeked at her through her fingers and saw one of the brightest smiles she had ever seen on his face.

“So, you’re telling me that you’ve been so preoccupied trying to ‘show’ your love, that you forgot to say it?”

“Well when you put it like that… yes, I suppose I did.”

That smile of his never left his face. Ren gently turned her towards him, so she properly faced him.

“Makoto, I love you. I love the way that you love me, _your_ love. You don’t need to show it in any other way.”

A hand reached up to cup her cheek, and Makoto leaned into Ren’s touch, covering his hand with her own.

“I love the way you stand up for yourself, for the justice you believe in.”

He kissed her forehead.

“I love how you glow when you’re excited. About a movie, the latest book, or even if it’s about the latest Buchimaru item, it’s cute how excited you get.”

A kiss to her cheek.

“And I love you for being _you._ Your little habits, your flaws, your smile, your heart, and your strong will. Everything about you is adorable.”

Now he was just teasing her, but Makoto didn’t care. Ren captured her lips with his own and drew out every kiss as long as he could. She melted into his touch and moved along with his rhythm.

Makoto linked her arms behind Ren’s neck as the kiss deepened. And this time, it felt right. It felt natural. It wasn’t forced, like she was trying to prove something, but it held the weight of those words.

Some time passed (Makoto couldn’t figure out how much) and Ren pulled back. She unconsciously followed his lips, already missing his touch, but paused when he pressed his forehead to hers.

“I’m sorry.” She blurted out. He raised a brow.

“For… for letting Eiko’s words get to me. I guess I felt like I had something to prove. I wanted to show her that I wasn’t as clueless as she took me for, but I suppose I was a bit foolish, huh?”

“It’s okay, sometimes people do stupid things when they’re in love.”

Makoto couldn’t help but smile at that.

“That is true, isn’t it?”

Ren hummed.

“Then… could I ask something stupid?” She dipped her head down a little. Makoto could feel Ren’s eyes on her.

“Could we… perhaps study something new today?”

A smirk formed on his lips, one filled with confidence and mischief.

“Only if you want to.” 

She nodded shyly. 

“I love you, Ren.”

“I love you too, Makoto.”

Ren smiled and closed the distance between them once more, catching her in a kiss. She felt his hand on her back, guiding her down towards the futon. As her arms wrapped around his neck and as she fell into his embrace, Makoto was sure of one thing that day.

She aced this test about love. 

And it was all thanks to her study partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that this chapter and ending did the story justice. I'm glad I was able to finish it too. In fact, it's my first multi-chapter story that's actually reached it's conclusion, and I'm pretty proud about that fact too.
> 
> I admit, it did get a little cheese-y at the end, but who doesn't love a good dose of fluff, especially in times like these.
> 
> It was fun to explore Makoto's personality, and dive a little into Ren's as well. Hopefully, with this new found muse thanks to Royal, I'll be able to get a new story up and going sometime this week. And it's going to be a long one. 
> 
> But thank you for reading this story entirely, and supporting me along the way. I'll see you all next time.


End file.
